Retiring principal Jean McGill (Courtesy photo)
Sharon Kline, Eddie Shirley, Carol Lammers and Petey Goode (Courtesy photo)
The Nathan Adams community said goodbye Thursday to a few beloved, longtime staff members who are retiring this year.
Principal Jean McGill is leaving after 39 years in the education field. She started at Nathan Adams as a first-grade teacher and served as principal for 10 years. Under her leadership, the school earned an “exemplary” status from the Texas Education Agency and was one of only 17 schools in the country to receive the Excellence in Urban Education Award. PTA President Debbie Kirby announced that the school’s new learning garden will be named for McGill.
Incoming principal Rachel George is a former area Principal of the Year and comes from Julia Frazier Elementary, which has been closed due to low enrollment.
Office manager Petey Goode is retiring after 25 years at Nathan Adams. Before she began working there, her own children attended the school.
Eddie Shirley, the Armadillos coach and P.E. teacher, spent 20 years at Nathan Adams and a total of 41 years in Dallas ISD. Shirley led Nathan Adams to becoming the first North Dallas elementary school to form a track team and compete in the Jesse Owens youth track program.
Teachers Sharon Kline and Carol Lammers are leaving after serving 17 and 10 years, respectively.
At Thursday’s ceremony, students recited the Pledge of Allegiance, sang the school song, chanted the retiring teachers names and left shouting, “Once an Armadillo; Always an Armadillo.”
